Attachment for window-shades.



Patented May l3, I902.

M. F. & C. STEPHENS. ATTACHMENT FOR WINDOW SHADES..

(Application filed Man 10, 1902.

(No Model.)

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MARCUS F. STEPHENSAND CYRUS STEPHENS, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

ATTACHMENT FOR WINDOW-SHADES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 699,770, dated May 13,1902- Application filed March 10,1902. Serial No. 97,636. (No model.) 7

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that we, .MAROUS F. STEPHENS and CYRUS STEPHENS, citizens ofthe United States, residing at Indianapolis, in the county of Marion andState of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inAttachments for Window-Shades, of which the following is aspecification.

Our invention relates to an improvement in a device for raisingwindow-shades, the object being to provide a device which will be simplein construction, easy to operate, and one which can be easily fixed toany window casing.

The object consists, further, in a device which shall be so constructedthat the mechanism will be incased and variously designed,

so as to appear neat and ornamental. There are other features, and thearrangement and construction of the several parts will be hereinaftermore particularly described and then pointed out in the claim.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which are made a part hereof andon which similar numerals of reference indicate similar parts, Figure 1is a fragmentary detail View of a window and shows our invention inoperating position. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the shell of ourshade-raising device, in which the internal pawl and rack are shown, thesaid figure being as seen when lookingin the direction indicated by thearrows on the 1ine2 2 in Fig. 5. Fig. 3 is arear View of our device withthe base-plate removed, thereby disclosing the internal spring whichactuates the spool. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of our invention andshows the knob for actuating the internal pawl and also shows theaperture in the shell through which the cord passes, and Fig. 5 is asectional View as seen when looking in the direction indicated by thearrows on the line 5 5 in Fig. 2.

In the drawings, 1 is the window-casing, and 2 the sash; 3, the ordinaryshade-roller; 4, the shade. The roller 3 is provided with a spool 5 atthe end next the casing, where our device is secured. The rollers 3 areprovided at the ends with pins in the ordinary way, which act as pivotsfor the roller. A cord 6 leads from the spool 5, secured to the end ofpressing on the knob 15.

the roller 3, to a spool mounted within our shade-rolling device, and asthe cord 6 is unwound from the spool 5 it is wound on the spool withinthe raising device, and vice versa.

The spool-housing 9 of our device is composed of the base-plate 7, whichcarries the integral ears 8. The ears 8 are bent at right angles fromthe base. The cars carry a threaded aperture which receives the screws10, which pass through the housing 9 and whereby the base 7 and thehousing are secured together.

The housing 9 is preferably made of light material, such as tin, and isornamented by any suitable embossed design. The housing 9 has aninternalcentrally-located post 11, which post is rigidly secured thereto andwhich forms a bearing for the pawl and spool. The post 11 has anextended base,which forms a shoulder against which the spool rests. Aspool 12 is provided on its front surface with an integrally-formedratchet 13, which is recessed into said spool. A pawl 14, which ispivot-ally secured to the post 11, engages at its front end with theratchet13, and at its rear end it turns upward and formsa button or knob15, the said knob projecting through the housing'9 and provides a meansfor actuating the pawl. A leaf-spring 16 is secured to the inner surfaceof the housing, the free end of the spring resting on the pawl 14 andwhereby the pawl is constantly held in contact with the ratchet 13unless released by The spool 12 fits snugly within the housing 9. Thegroove in the spool 12 registers with the aperture 19 in the housing.The aperture 19 acts as a guide for the cord 6 as it is fed to or fromthe spool 12. The relative position of the spool 12 and aperture isclearly shown by dotted lines in Fig. 4. The spool 12 has acentrally-located aperture through which the post 11 projects and onwhich post the spool revolves. The spool 12 has an integrally-formedsleeve 17 on the rear surface, and the central aperture of the spoolpasses through said sleeve. As shown in Fig. 3, the sleeve 17 has avertical slit therein and in which the inner end of the spring 18 issocured. The spring 18 coils around the sleeve,

the outer end of the spring being secured to the spool-housing 9. Thisconstruction allows the spool to turn when the pawl let is actuated.

In placing our invention in operation the base-plate 7 is secured to thewindow-casing by means of the screws 20. The housing 9, carrying thespool 12, spring 18, and pawl 14, is placed into position. Theperipheral edge of the housing 9 fits over the periphery of thebase-plate 7, which are held together by the screws 10, which passthrough the housing and into the ears 8 on the base-plate 7. Thespool-housing 9 may be mounted on the window-casing at any desirablepoint along the length of the Window. It may be fixed near the bottom,or where children abide the same may be fixed at a point inaccessible tothem.

When the housing 9 is placed into position, the spring 18 is expandedand the spool 12 is filled with cord. The window-shade 4 is fully woundon the roller 3, which roller is now placed into position in the usualmanner. The end of the cord 6 is secured to the spool 5, which issecured to the roller 3, and at the completion of said operation ourdevice is in working order. When the shade 4: is pulled downward, thecord 6 is unwound from the spool 12 and is wound around the spool 5 onthe roller '3. The operation while unwinding the cord 6 from the roller12 winds up the spring 18, so that when the shade 4 is pulled down itsfull length the spring 18 is wound tight. When it is desired to raisethe windowshade 4, the pawl 14: is released from the ratchet 13 bypressing on the knob 15, which movement sets the spool 12 in motionunder the tension of the spring 18. The cord 6 unwinds from the spool 5While the shade at raises and is again wound on the spool 12. Thediversity between the spools 5 and 12 allows for about a four-inch riseof the shade 4 to every inch of rotation of the spool 12. This diversitymay be increased or decreased, if desired.

Having thus fully described our said invention, what we desire to secureby Letters Patent is In a shade-rolling device, a base-plate havingintegrally-formed cars which carry threaded apertures,a spool-housingadapted to overlie the said base, screws passing through the saidhousing and engaging with the apertures in the ears on the base-plate, apost integral with the housing and centrally mounted therein and whichforms a bearing for the spool, a spool on the post which carries anintegral recessed ratchet on one side, an integrallyformed sleeve on theother, the said sleeve forming a bearing for the spring, a springsecured to the sleeve and spool-housing, a pawl pivotally secured to thecentral post, the said pawl engaging at one end with the ratchet on thespool while the other end thereof is-bent at right angle from the mainbody and formed into a knob, a leaf-spring secured to the spoolhousingthe free end of which rests on the pawl, whereby the said pawl is heldinto contact with the ratchet, a cord extending from the spool in thehousing and engaging with the secondary spool secured to theshaderoller, whereby a means is provided for actuating the window-shade,substantially as shown and described.

In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands and seals, atIndianapolis, Indiana, this 17th day of February, A. D. 1902.

MARCUS F. STEPHENS. L. s]

CYRUS STEPHENS. lL. s]

Witnesses:

C. C. TOPP,

F. W. WOERNER.

